INTERLUDEby Idiosyn
Rating: PG, maybe PG-13 depending on how you take the optional ending.
Word Count: 577 (786 including the optional ending)
Character: Ichigo, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, Rukia and brief Kon.
Summary: On the rooftop at lunch.
“It’s too hoooot~!” Keigo complained. Despite the whining, Ichigo had to concur. Which led one to wonder why there were on the rooftop at all.
“Tradition of course.” Mizuiro said. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, unaware he had said it out loud. Mizuiro sat in the shade of the stairwell housing, Keigo next to him. Ichigo was laid out on the roof, legs braced against the chain link fence Chad rested on. Out of all of them only Chad looked comfortable. “We always come up here for lunch, even in the winter.”
At the answer (which he knew to be true), Ichigo scowled. And he wondered why Rukia always called him ‘idiot’….
There was no merciful wind that day, there hadn’t been one all week, making each day unbearably hot. Ichigo felt like he was boiling in one of those giant stone bowls they served soups in down the road. If he had to deal with a Hollow right now he’d either die or let them do whatever the hell they wanted. He couldn’t take it.
For the first time since he sat down, Chad moved. The other three all stopped and watched for whenever Chad did anything, it was important. He reached into his pocket and brought out a small, white, neatly folded handkerchief and wiped his brow. Then he snapped it out once or twice, put it on top of his head to keep the sun out of his eyes and replaced his hands on his knees. Mizuiro and Keigo looked let down. Ichigo scowled. He wished he could be as dully affected as the stoic boy.
A cool breeze wafted over them and Ichigo let out a sigh of relief. Keigo- who had become so much background noise to the others –suddenly began chatting with renewed energy. It took a moment for Ichigo to realize that someone had opened the door to the stairwell.
“Ah, Kuchiki-san!” Keigo praised. “You saved us from a fate worse than death!”
“I can’t believe you’re out in this weather.” Rukia raised a hand to the sun. “How can you stand it?”
“Not very well, I’ll admit.” Mizuiro replied, leaning closer to the open door. “That feels so good!”
Glaring from his inverted position Ichigo glared. “Do you want something or what?”
At his rude comment Rukia marched up to the orange haired boy, putting her arms to her hips. “I suddenly can’t come up here if I like, now?”
“Oh, don’t worry about Ichigo!” Keigo popped in. “He’s always gotta be a grouch about something! You can join us whenever you like!”
Ichigo, however, merely turned his head to the side. “Would you not do that?” He asked. “It’s not a view I look forward to.”
The rooftop stilled for a moment. Then, for his troubles, Ichigo got a kick to the head. Unable to find a proper response, Rukia glared death before she stormed off the rooftop, slamming the door behind her tightly.
Gingerly sitting up and rubbing what was sure to be a knot later, Ichigo was suddenly pounced upon.
“Did you see?? Did you really, really see!?” Keigo asked.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Kuchiki-san’s panties! Did you see the color?”
“Like I’d tell you even if I /were/ paying attention.” He idly smacked Keigo away. “Let’s go. Class’ll start soon.”
Chad and Mizuiro, however, were the observant ones of the group. And they knew the color on Ichigo’s cheeks wasn’t from the sun.
Optional Ending
Ichigo returned late having had to run an errand after school. Up in his room he scowled at Kon who was lamenting that he was kicked out of the closet as Rukia changed. His attitude switched abruptly when he saw Ichigo with the plastic bag.
“Did you get me a gift?” The doll pounced on the bag. “What is it what is it?”
He yanked the bag away, causing Kon to topple over. “It’s not for you!” Ignoring the indignant mutterings from the floor, Ichigo knocked on his closet door. “Oi, Rukia. Open up.”
Obediently the door slid back and the Shinigami glared up at him in another of Yuzu’s dresses. “What?” Her voice was curt.
Eye twitching at the harsh reply, Ichigo reached into the bag and threw the object inside at her, whapping her in the face. “Here.” He said simply. “That was all I could afford today.”
Struggling to untangle the cloth from her head, Rukia asked, “What /is/ it?”
“Boxers. You wear them under your clothes.”
Eventually freeing herself from the dark blue shackles she held them up in front of her. “Why do I need these?”
Turning to avoid showing off his rising flush Ichigo said, “Because it’s better than what you got now.”
Rating: PG, maybe PG-13 depending on how you take the optional ending.
Word Count: 577 (786 including the optional ending)
Character: Ichigo, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, Rukia and brief Kon.
Summary: On the rooftop at lunch.
“It’s too hoooot~!” Keigo complained. Despite the whining, Ichigo had to concur. Which led one to wonder why there were on the rooftop at all.
“Tradition of course.” Mizuiro said. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, unaware he had said it out loud. Mizuiro sat in the shade of the stairwell housing, Keigo next to him. Ichigo was laid out on the roof, legs braced against the chain link fence Chad rested on. Out of all of them only Chad looked comfortable. “We always come up here for lunch, even in the winter.”
At the answer (which he knew to be true), Ichigo scowled. And he wondered why Rukia always called him ‘idiot’….
There was no merciful wind that day, there hadn’t been one all week, making each day unbearably hot. Ichigo felt like he was boiling in one of those giant stone bowls they served soups in down the road. If he had to deal with a Hollow right now he’d either die or let them do whatever the hell they wanted. He couldn’t take it.
For the first time since he sat down, Chad moved. The other three all stopped and watched for whenever Chad did anything, it was important. He reached into his pocket and brought out a small, white, neatly folded handkerchief and wiped his brow. Then he snapped it out once or twice, put it on top of his head to keep the sun out of his eyes and replaced his hands on his knees. Mizuiro and Keigo looked let down. Ichigo scowled. He wished he could be as dully affected as the stoic boy.
A cool breeze wafted over them and Ichigo let out a sigh of relief. Keigo- who had become so much background noise to the others –suddenly began chatting with renewed energy. It took a moment for Ichigo to realize that someone had opened the door to the stairwell.
“Ah, Kuchiki-san!” Keigo praised. “You saved us from a fate worse than death!”
“I can’t believe you’re out in this weather.” Rukia raised a hand to the sun. “How can you stand it?”
“Not very well, I’ll admit.” Mizuiro replied, leaning closer to the open door. “That feels so good!”
Glaring from his inverted position Ichigo glared. “Do you want something or what?”
At his rude comment Rukia marched up to the orange haired boy, putting her arms to her hips. “I suddenly can’t come up here if I like, now?”
“Oh, don’t worry about Ichigo!” Keigo popped in. “He’s always gotta be a grouch about something! You can join us whenever you like!”
Ichigo, however, merely turned his head to the side. “Would you not do that?” He asked. “It’s not a view I look forward to.”
The rooftop stilled for a moment. Then, for his troubles, Ichigo got a kick to the head. Unable to find a proper response, Rukia glared death before she stormed off the rooftop, slamming the door behind her tightly.
Gingerly sitting up and rubbing what was sure to be a knot later, Ichigo was suddenly pounced upon.
“Did you see?? Did you really, really see!?” Keigo asked.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Kuchiki-san’s panties! Did you see the color?”
“Like I’d tell you even if I /were/ paying attention.” He idly smacked Keigo away. “Let’s go. Class’ll start soon.”
Chad and Mizuiro, however, were the observant ones of the group. And they knew the color on Ichigo’s cheeks wasn’t from the sun.
Optional Ending
Ichigo returned late having had to run an errand after school. Up in his room he scowled at Kon who was lamenting that he was kicked out of the closet as Rukia changed. His attitude switched abruptly when he saw Ichigo with the plastic bag.
“Did you get me a gift?” The doll pounced on the bag. “What is it what is it?”
He yanked the bag away, causing Kon to topple over. “It’s not for you!” Ignoring the indignant mutterings from the floor, Ichigo knocked on his closet door. “Oi, Rukia. Open up.”
Obediently the door slid back and the Shinigami glared up at him in another of Yuzu’s dresses. “What?” Her voice was curt.
Eye twitching at the harsh reply, Ichigo reached into the bag and threw the object inside at her, whapping her in the face. “Here.” He said simply. “That was all I could afford today.”
Struggling to untangle the cloth from her head, Rukia asked, “What /is/ it?”
“Boxers. You wear them under your clothes.”
Eventually freeing herself from the dark blue shackles she held them up in front of her. “Why do I need these?”
Turning to avoid showing off his rising flush Ichigo said, “Because it’s better than what you got now.”